Lightning
A bolt of lightning brings a blond-haired stranger into Laura Shane's life. But is he the guardian angel he seems? The devil in disguise? Or the master of a haunting destiny beyond time and space?\ \ Lightning strikes--and the blond-haired stranger appears to save Laura from tragedy again and again. Is he the guardian angel he appears to be or the devil in disguise? Or is he the master of a haunting destiny beyond this world--beyond time and space? "Lightning...
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"A gripping novel" from the #1 New York Times bestselling author-now in trade paperback for the first time. In the midst of a raging blizzard, lightning struck on the night Laura Shane was born. And a mysterious blond-haired stranger showed up just in time to save her from dying. Years later, in the wake of another storm, Laura will be saved again. For someone is watching over her. But just as lightning illuminates, darkness always follows close behind.Publishers WeeklyLaura Shane leads a troubled life: she is orphaned, nearly molested twice and loses one of her closest friends in a tragic accident, all before her 13th birthday. Even worse events would have befallen Laura if not for the mysterious guardian angel who periodically appears with a bolt of lightning to miraculously rescue her. The ``angel,'' Stefan, is in fact a time traveler who rides the ``lightning road'' through time to follow Laura throughout her adult life; unfortunately, Stefan himself is being chased through time by a pack of equally mysterious villains, and their pursuit of Stefan and Laura spans the second half of the novel. The secret of the lightning road provides an intriguing mystery early on, but once it is revealed midway through the book as a complicated hybrid of borrowed science-fiction and political-thriller conceits, the narrative runs out of ideas. In the lightning road, Koontz has created the kind of sci-fi puzzle whose convoluted logic must be explained at every turn, and the momentum of the central, fairly standard chase suffers thereby. The drama of an innocent bystander forced by events to run for his or her life is familiar to Koontz readers, but this time he leaves out a vital ingredient; while his evil predators are often his most interesting characters (as in this year's Watchers, or the earlier Whispers), the villains of Lightning tend toward cliches. The reader senses that the author got too caught up in the trick of the lightning, and inadvertently stole the thunder from the rest of this potentially intriguing tale. (January)
\ Publishers WeeklySince the night she was born, Laura Shane has been continually saved by a mysterious guardian who appears and disappears without a trail. Through the years, these random encounters prove more and more life-threatening, sending Shane down a dark path to which her savior, Stefan, has unintentionally led her and her family. But as Shane realizes "when" not "where" Stefan is from, she must scramble for her life as her enemies seek her out. Her only hope is in the knowledge that when lightning strikes, her enemies are near. Koontz isn't the first author to incorporate lightning with time travel, but he certainly shines new light on the subgenre of time travel. Koontz's 1988 novel gains new life in this unabridged production. Christopher Lane captures listeners with a stern and serious voice that can still lighten up, especially when voicing Shane's son, Chris, or other colorful characters. Lane's vocalizing of characters proves impressive, authentic and even amusing for everyone but Shane, whose voice is adequate but fades in comparison to the other characters. Regardless, Lane's narration improves upon the book by adding a tonal edge that will keep listeners' attention throughout all 14 hours. (May)\ Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information\ \ \ \ \ Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly\ Laura Shane leads a troubled life: she is orphaned, nearly molested twice and loses one of her closest friends in a tragic accident, all before her 13th birthday. Even worse events would have befallen Laura if not for the mysterious guardian angel who periodically appears with a bolt of lightning to miraculously rescue her. The ``angel,'' Stefan, is in fact a time traveler who rides the ``lightning road'' through time to follow Laura throughout her adult life; unfortunately, Stefan himself is being chased through time by a pack of equally mysterious villains, and their pursuit of Stefan and Laura spans the second half of the novel. The secret of the lightning road provides an intriguing mystery early on, but once it is revealed midway through the book as a complicated hybrid of borrowed science-fiction and political-thriller conceits, the narrative runs out of ideas. In the lightning road, Koontz has created the kind of sci-fi puzzle whose convoluted logic must be explained at every turn, and the momentum of the central, fairly standard chase suffers thereby. The drama of an innocent bystander forced by events to run for his or her life is familiar to Koontz readers, but this time he leaves out a vital ingredient; while his evil predators are often his most interesting characters as in this year's Watchers, or the earlier Whispers, the villains of Lightning tend toward cliches. The reader senses that the author got too caught up in the trick of the lightning, and inadvertently stole the thunder from the rest of this potentially intriguing tale. January\ \ \ Library JournalOn the night of Laura Shane's birth, a stranger appears from the lightning to prevent her delivery's being botched by an alcoholic physician. Throughout Laura's childhood the stranger reappears at times of danger. He protects rather than threatens, yet menace seems to follow him. Thirty years later another storm flashes and the stranger collapses, shot, at Laura's door. Now Laura protects her erstwhile guardian from mysterious hunters. He reveals that he and the hunters are time travelers. Laura, quick-witted and brave, leads the way to a bloody showdown. The paradox in time travel's tampering with history provides an interesting twist in this gripping thriller by a popular writer. Literary Guild selection.A.M.B. Amantia, Population Crisis Committee Lib., Washington, D.C.\ \
